Mechanical collator



April 30, 1946. w. E. THQMAS 2,399,584

MECHANICAL COLLATOR Filed July 27, v194:5 5 Sheets-Sheet l HIHIHIHIHI'IIN VEN TOR.

BY .uw am April 30, 1946.

TIER. L. 4

w. E. THOMAS 2,399,584

MECHANICAL COLLATOR Filed July 27, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. wwwfm/v 72/0M45.

wl E. 'rHoMAs 2,399,584

MECHANICAL GOLLATOR April 30, 1946.

Filed July 27, 1945 5 Sheets-Shed'l 3 INVENTOR. M4 am? EWI/v Efo/m5.

Patented Apr. 30,

UNITED VSTATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANICAL COLLATOR.

Wilbur Evan Thomas, Bronx, N. Y.

Application July 27, 1943,` Serial No. 496,304 Claims. (Cl. 27o-58) Mypresent invention relates to an apparatus for collating sheet material,particularly Paper sheets, and the like.

Although machines have heretofore been proposed for this purpose, theyare generally of a relatively bulky and expensive type, and not suitablefor ordinary oillce use where they would not be warranted, both from thestandpoint of initial cost and of upkeep. Consequently in suolisituations collating of sheets has been performed by hand, withattendant slowness of operation and the occurrence of errors.

The principal object of the instant invention is the provision of amachine which will collate sheets much more rapidly and efllciently thancan be done by hand, but which does not involve large outlays, either ininitial cost or in upkeep. More particularly an object of the inventionis the provision of a machine of this type of inexpensive, compactconstruction, requiring a minimum of attention.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a collatorwhich may be built of inexpensive and non-strategic materials.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus ofthe type referred to which operates with a high degree of efficiency.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a collatorincluding means whereby the forward ends of the ejected sheets areautomat-I ically placed in contiguous relationship whereby they may bereadily grasped by the hand of the operator.

My invention will be more fully understood and further objects andadvantages thereof will become apparent when reference is made to themore detailed description thereof which is to follow and to theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig, 1 is a perspective view of acollator in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the collator;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on a line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on a line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional vieu1 on an enlarged scaleillustrating details of the construction:

Fig.'6 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of an element of theapparatus;

Fig. '7 is a side elevational view of the apparatus illustrating itsoperation; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 illustrating the operation of amodified form of the invention.

may be dropped to be deposited in a hopper 22,

. supported below the table top.

Collator I4 comprises a plurality of superposed trays 24. each composedof a side member or rail 2B and a bottom member 28. Particularly wherethe trays are formed from wood, as is preferred, bottom member 28 may berabbeted into the side rails 23, as illustrated particularly in Fig. 6.Interposed between the adjacent trays are spacer blocks 30 locatedpreferably at each of the four corners of the trays and secured to thetrays above and below by any conventional fastening means. As will beobserved from an ispection 0f Figs. 1 and 2, the spacer blocks defineclosed end slots 32 between adjacent trays. The trays in any suitablenumber, as determined by the maximum number of sheets to be collated,are mounted in superposed relationship directly on the table Il! and maybe secured thereto by bolts, screws, or the like. The spacer blocks onthe uppermost tray support a cover plate 34, which projects laterally,preferably on both sides of the tray, ,to provide flanges 36 containingtrackways 38. Extending longitudinally of the lowermost tray and securedthereto, or directly to the table, are strips 40 containing trackways4I, preferably similar to trackways 38 of the cover plate and in opposedrelationship thereto. Trackways 38 and 4I may be of any suitable type,but as illustrated, preferably comprise dove tail slots.

Mounted in each tray is an ejector member 42 (see particularly Figs. 2,4 and 6). Each ejector 'is composed of a divided bar 44, the ends ofwhich projectA through opposite slots 32. I'he two sections of the bar44 are connected by a pintle 46 on which is pivotally mounted apreferably T- shaped pusher member 48, including a head 50 carryingcontact members 52. The latter are preferably formed of spOnge rubber,felt, or similar materials which will exhibit traction forces on thesheets placed in the trays. Spacer blocks 30, in addition to closing theends of the slots 32,serve as stops for the ends of bar 44,' preventingit from moving out from eitherend of 'the tray.

'I'he projecting ends of bars 44 of the several ejectors are connectedas by mortising, as shown,

or by any other` suitable means, into slides 50" on opposite sides ofthe superposed trays. Slides 50 include tongues 52 on their upper andlower ends of a configuration to slidably fit in the tracks 38 and 4|.Projecting from the slides are pins 54, adapted to be received withinelongated slots 56 in levers 58, on opposite sides of the apparatus.Levers 58 are pivoted on any suitable part of the machine, for example,on rails 60, as indicated at 62. The lower ends of the levers areconnected by a foot treadle 84 or other operating mechanism. 'I'he-treadle is maintained in a normal forward position by a spring or thelike 66.

A deflector plate 68 is preferably mounted directly on the tableadjacent the lowermost tray. The deiiector plate is inclined outwardlyand upwardly and preferably extends upwardly at least haii' the heightof the superposed trays. The deiector plate may include a recess 1li inits upper edge to promote grasping of the ejected sheets.

In the principal form of the invention. the rear end of the pile oftrays may be closed in any suitable manner, as for example by an endplate 12 (see Figs. 2 and 4). In a modified form, the end plate may beomitted for a purpose later to be described.

In the operation of the apparatus described above, stacks of thedifferent sheets to be coilated are placed in the several trays with thepusher arm of the ejector member restingr on the top sheet of each stackand with the ejectors in these retracted positions. Foot treadle 6d isthen pressed rearwardly against the action of springr 66, causingforward movement of the slides 50 and of the ejector members. Due to thefrictional engagement between pads 52 and the sheets, the top sheets ofthe stacks in the several trays are caused to move forwardlysubstantially simultaneously. As the sheets issue from the trays. theends of the uppermost sheets sag downwardly and the lowermost are raisedupwardly by sliding on the delector plate 88, with the result that theirouter ends approach each other to be readily grasped as a unit by thehand of the operator (see Fig. '7). The assembled sheets are thenstraightened and adjusted in former IE, stapled together and thendeposited through slot 20 into hopper 22. Removal of pressure fromtreadle 66 causes return of the ejector members to retracted position,due to the action of spring 6B, and the operation may then be repeated.

As will be readily understood from the above description of theconstruction and operation of the device of the invention, the sheetsmay be collated very rapidly and with a minimum of skill on the part ofthe operator, The apparatus is very simple in operation and constructionand with minor exceptions may be composed of wood and similarnon-strategic materials. The apparatus requires substantially no upkeepand its initial cost is low. The trays are preferably made of a size totake relatively large sheets, but the collator will operate equally aswell with smaller sheets and, hence, only one collator need be requeredto handle ordinary situations. In lieu of the foot treadle, the collatorcan be operated by a hand lever or, if desired, may be motor driven by asimple adaptation, as will be readily understood.

In the modied form of the invention, as illustrated in Fig. 8, thesuperposed trays may be mounted in a central location on the table, and

deector platesv B8 supported at each end. rIn this instance the rearplate 12 is omitted, with the result that the collator operates in bothdirections of movement. That is, when the treadle is pressed rearwardly,sheets are ejected at the left hand side, as shown in Fig. 8, and whenpressure is released on the treadle, the ejector member is moved in theopposite direction under the influence of the spring 66, and the sheetsare ejected from the right hand side of the machine, In this form of theconstruction, employing two operators, substantially double productioncan be obtained without proportionately increasing the cost of themachine or the space required.

Having thus described my invention in rather full detail, it will beunderstood that these details need not be strictly adhered to, but thatvarious changes and modifications will suggest themselves to one skilledin the art, all falling within the scope of the invention as defined bythe subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A collator comprising a base, a plurality of superposed traysincluding open front ends mounted thereon, each of said trays beingadapted to support a stack of sheets, an ejector element in each trayhaving a portion to rest on the stack of sheets, means for causingsimultaneous forward movement of said ejector elements to force saidsheets from the open front ends of said trays, and a defiector membersupported by said base and extending outwardly and upwardly in front ofsaid trays from a point adjacent the forward end of the lowermost ofsaid trays.

2. A collator comprising a plurality of superposed trays, spacersbetween adjacent trays defining slots extending substantially the lengthof the trays, ejector members in said trays, said ejector membersincluding supporting means extending transversely of the trays, and atraction member Apivoted thereon, slide means supported forreciprocation longitudinally of said superposed trays, and meansextending through said slots connecting said slide means and saidseveral ejector members for conjoint reciprocation.

3. A collator comprising a base member, a. plurality of superposed traysmounted thereon, a cover for the uppermost tray, said cover projectinglaterally beyond said trays, opposed tracks in said base and saidlaterally projecting portions of said cover member, elongated slotsbetween adjacent trays and extending substantially the length thereof,ejector members in said trays, slide means supported in said opposedtracks for reciprocation longitudinally of said trays, means extendingthrough said slots connecting said slide means and said ejector members,and means for reciprocating said slide members.

4. A collator comprising a plurality of superposed trays, eachcomprising side and bottom members, spacer blocks resting on said sidemembers adjacent the ends thereof and deiining elongated yslots betweenadjacent trays, and an ejector member in each of said trays, saidejector members each comprising a divided supporting bar extendinglaterally across the tray with its ends projecting through said slots,said bar deiining a central pivot portion, and a traction memberincluding spaced contact members pivoted on said pivot portion.

5. A collator comprising a base member, a plurality of superposedopen-ended trays mounted thereon, each of said trays being adapted toreceive a stack 'of sheets, a cover for the uppermost 4 tray, said coverprojecting laterally beyond said trays, opposed tracks in said base andsaid 1aterally projecting portions of said cover member, elongated slotsbetween adjacent trays and extending substantially the length thereof,reciprocable ejector members in said trays of. a character tofrictionally engage said sheets in both directions of reciprocationoisaid ejector member 'to eject sheets from both ends o! said trays, slidemeans supported 'in said opposed tracks, means extending through saidslots connecting said slide means and said ejector members. and meansfor reciprocating said slide members with conjoint reciprocation o! saidejector members.

WILBUR. EVAN THOMAS.

